ARC BLANC IS FINALLY AVAILABLE! Pushing the Boundaries of Maritime Simulation
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
What if maritime simulation could finally combine physical realism, visual immersion and real-time performance?
That is the ambition behind Arc Blanc, a simulation software suite jointly developed by Studio Nyx, Aurora Game Studio and G4F, designed to address the growing needs of the maritime, industrial, defence, training and research sectors.
Designed as a true toolkit for building customised maritime simulators, Arc Blanc combines technologies from the video game and virtual reality industries with the precision requirements of industrial and scientific environments.
The goal: to simulate the maritime world with an unprecedented level of realism, while maintaining the flexibility and performance required for professional applications.
A NEW APPROCH TO MARITIME SIMULATION
Traditional simulators often have to strike a balance between several priorities: physical accuracy, visual quality, performance and flexibility.
Arc Blanc was designed to overcome this compromise.
The solution combines scientific computing, physics simulation, real-time 3D rendering and immersive technologies to reproduce complex maritime environments and their interactions with vessels, equipment and natural phenomena.
The ocean becomes a truly dynamic environment in which different types of vessels and floating objects can operate, weather conditions can be modified, specific operations can be recreated and a wide range of scenarios can be explored.
More than an off-the-shelf simulator, Arc Blanc is an infrastructure designed to build the simulator that meets each specific need.
SIMULATING THE OCEAN DOWN TO THE SMALLEST DETAIL
One of Arc Blanc's key strengths lies in its ability to dynamically represent the marine environment.
The ocean's surface and underwater volume can be simulated in real time using oceanographic data, with a representation of the main physical and optical phenomena required for a realistic experience.
But the environment does not stop at the water's surface.
Simulation of the ocean surface and underwater environment | Arc Blanc harnesses the power of graphics processing units (GPUs) to deliver an interactive, real-time and fully configurable ocean simulation. The ocean is simulated using data collected by oceanographers, enabling Arc Blanc to accurately reproduce real-world maritime conditions. Arc Blanc provides a realistic representation of both the ocean surface and underwater environment, modelling most of the underlying optical phenomena to deliver a highly immersive and physically consistent experience. |
Fluid-solid interaction simulation | Arc Blanc models the waves generated by the movement of a solid across the ocean surface, based on empirical and geometric parameters. |
Global-scale simulation using GPS coordinates | Arc Blanc uses WGS 84 geographic coordinates to position the simulation environment anywhere on Earth, while accurately accounting for the planet’s curvature. |
Simulation of weather conditions and celestial bodies | Arc Blanc models weather conditions such as rain, snow, and more. It also simulates the stars and their movement across the sky based on the observer’s geographic location and the date. |
High-precision mapping and terrain features | Arc Blanc allows users to load mapping data to model the topology and terrain features of the surrounding environment at a 1:1 scale. |
Optical sensor simulation | Arc Blanc offers different camera types for rendering, enabling the simulation of optical sensors such as infrared and light intensity. |
Underwater and above-water sound simulation | Arc Blanc accurately models sound propagation, taking into account the specific acoustic conditions found beneath the water's surface. |
Vessel editing and configuration tool | Arc Blanc provides a comprehensive suite of tools for easily and precisely configuring vessels and objects to be added to the simulation. |
Through the use of WGS 84 geographic coordinates, simulations can be positioned directly on a global scale while taking into account, in particular, the Earth's curvature.
A virtual environment can therefore become a reflection of a real-world environment.
PHYSICS DESIGNED FOR PROFESSIONAL APPLICATIONS
Visual realism only has value when it is accompanied by credible physical behaviour.
Arc Blanc incorporates an advanced hydrodynamic solver capable of simulating interactions between solids and fluids. The forces applied to different elements are calculated to reproduce their behaviour within the marine environment.
This approach makes it possible to simulate the movement of a vessel subjected to waves, wind or currents, as well as more complex systems.
Cables can be simulated with their own dynamics and react to gravity as well as ocean movement. On-board equipment can also be configured to reproduce simple movements or more complex physical behaviours.
Arc Blanc therefore does more than represent a maritime environment: it brings it to life.
A TOOL FOR TRAINING, EXPERIMENTATION AND DECISION-MAKING
Simulation delivers its greatest value when it can reproduce situations that are difficult, costly or dangerous to implement in the real world.
This is one of Arc Blanc's key strengths.
The suite can provide the foundation for simulators designed for navigation training, emergency operations, maintenance, crew coordination and the execution of complex maritime operations.
The same environment can also be shared across multiple users and machines, allowing an instructor to control and modify a simulation while several participants interact within the same scenario.
With support for both VR and non-VR configurations, Arc Blanc also makes it possible to adapt the level of immersion to the specific context of use.
Train Without Exposure
Fire, equipment failure, collision, grounding, severe weather conditions, rescue operations…
Scenarios that would be complex, dangerous or costly to reproduce in real-world conditions can be recreated within a controlled virtual environment.
Teams can therefore train, experiment, make mistakes and try again, without the constraints associated with real-world operations.
TECHNOLOGY SERVING A WILDE RANGE OF INDUSTRIES
Arc Blanc's versatility opens up opportunities far beyond maritime training alone.
Defence and Maritime Security | Arc Blanc can provide the foundation for simulators designed to prepare crews for navigation, inter-vessel coordination and specific operations in complex environments. The solution's network architecture also enables multi-user and multi-machine simulation environments. |
Marine Energy | Floating offshore wind, wave energy, ocean thermal energy… Emerging marine energy technologies require infrastructure to be designed, installed and maintained in particularly challenging environments. Arc Blanc can be used to develop simulations that prepare operators for these interventions, while also enabling different scenarios to be visualised and tested before implementation. |
Naval Design | Simulation can also become a design and engineering tool. By reproducing a vessel within a realistic maritime environment, Arc Blanc can help explore its behaviour, visualise its interactions with the surrounding environment and develop virtual prototypes before moving on to more costly development phases. |
Education and Training | Educational institutions specialising in maritime professions can benefit from a training environment capable of reproducing a wide range of navigation and operational situations. Simulation can transform theoretical concepts into concrete, interactive and immersive experiences. |
Research & R&D | Arc Blanc also provides a foundation for experimenting with new simulation methods. Ongoing work on fluid-solid coupling simulation is intended to further improve the reproduction of complex phenomena such as breaking waves, splashes and advanced hydrodynamic interactions. |
AN OPEN AND ADAPTABLE ARCHITECTURE
Arc Blanc has been designed to integrate into existing technical environments.
Its API is accessible through C++, C# and Java, enabling the simulation to be controlled and operated from external applications.
The architecture can also distribute computational workloads across multiple machines: one machine can handle physics calculations while others manage rendering.
This approach enables configurations to be adapted to the requirements of each project, from a workstation to more complex simulation systems.
Streaming technology also makes it possible to transmit simulation data to less powerful devices such as laptops or smartphones.
Arc Blanc is therefore designed to evolve with the needs of its users, rather than impose a one-size-fits-all configuration.
A Technology Designed to Go Further
Arc Blanc is not intended to be a static technology.
Its development is part of an ongoing R&D process aimed at improving simulation accuracy and opening up new applications.
Future developments include more advanced modelling of environmental parameters — such as temperature, salinity and acidity, as well as marine life simulation, extreme weather phenomena and new scenarios related to the design and operation of maritime infrastructure.
This ability to evolve is one of the project's key strengths:
building today a technology capable of meeting tomorrow's maritime needs.
A TOOLKIT FOR BUILDING THE SIMULAYORS OF TOMORROW
With Arc Blanc, Studio Nyx, Aurora Game Studio and G4F bring together their expertise to deliver a new generation of maritime simulation solutions.
Advanced physics, realistic environments, geographic data, underwater simulation, audio, VR, networking, APIs and modular architecture: each component can be leveraged to meet a specific objective.
Training, defence, naval design, marine energy, research, education or even video games: Arc Blanc enables the creation of experiences tailored to every sector and every scenario.
The ambition is simple:
Not simply to simulate the sea, but to create the conditions to understand, experiment and learn within a realistic virtual maritime environment.
Arc Blanc is ready to become the technological foundation for your next maritime simulation project.
Technical article link: https://produits-maritimes.studio-nyx.com/arc-blanc
